Thanksgiving travel: Tips for flights and road trips

A record 82 million Americans prepare for Thanksgiving travel chaos, with AAA warning of unprecedented crowds and congestion across US airports and roadways. This surge in domestic travel presents significant operational challenges for airlines and airport infrastructure, exacerbated by ongoing industry pressures and systemic issues.

Travelers face potential delays and disruptions, prompting experts to advise early airport arrival, avoiding checked bags, and utilizing airline apps for real-time updates. The travel landscape is further complicated by a 400% surge in unruly passenger incidents, prompting a civility campaign from the US Transportation Secretary to address onboard behavior.

Underlying systemic issues contribute to the anticipated chaos. The recent 43-day US federal government shutdown placed immense strain on airlines, forcing earlier utilization of reserve pilots and flight attendants. Compounding this, the US FAA implemented a 10% reduction in air traffic across 40 markets during the shutdown, and a persistent US air traffic controller staffing crisis continues to impact operational capacity. These factors collectively threaten the reliability of air travel, particularly if adverse weather conditions emerge.

To mitigate stress, airfare search engine Skiplagged suggests leveraging international terminals for security at US airports, especially during morning hours, and booking flights on Thanksgiving Day for potentially lower fares and fewer crowds. These strategies aim to empower passengers navigating what is projected to be one of the busiest travel periods in recent memory.